Early Winter, Lost on the Changjiang
早寒江上有怀
木 落 雁 南 渡
北 风 江 上 寒。
我 家 襄 水 上
遥 隔 楚 云 端。
乡 泪 客 中 尽
孤 帆 天 际 看。
迷 津 欲 有 问
平 海 夕 漫 漫。
Yao Han Jiang Shang You Huai
Mu luo yan nan du
Bei feng jiang shang han.
Wo jia xiang shui shang
Yao ge chu yun duan.
Xiang lei ke zhong jin
Gu fan tian ji kan.
Mi jin yu you wen
Ping hai xi man man.
Early Winter, Lost on the Changjiang
When leaves fall down, wild geese fly to the south
Northern wind on the river is cold.
My house upriver in Xiangyang
So remote, at the source of clouds in Chu.
This traveler’s tears for hometown run dry
At the horizon, one solitary boat seen.
Want to stop here, ask the boatman where we are
At sunset, calm water without end, in every direction.
Notes:
Xiangyang: City that straddles the Han River in northwest Hubei Province.
Chu: Nation state (1030-223 BC) during the Zhou Dynasties. Located in the provinces of Hubei and Hunan, and in parts of others.
Commentary:
Traveling during this time in China was not an easy or comfortable activity.
